diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 08b062d0c656f0439f3138670c83af7a3894f6d8..080f9a163d5d6ecadf5b984dec1086cdd63a76f5 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -13,8 +13,11 @@ image: docker:latest
 
 stages:
   - lint
+  - check
+  - test
   - build
   - release
+  - deploy
 
 variables:
   GIT_SUBMODULE_STRATEGY: none
@@ -113,6 +116,7 @@ tests buildroot patches:
     refs:
       - merge_requests
     changes:
+      - package/*/*.mk
       - package/*/*.patch
       - board/recalbox/patches/*/*.patch
   before_script:
@@ -179,6 +183,68 @@ appimage-amd64:
         - 'projects/frontend/*.AppImage*'
       expire_in: 1 week
 
+check_package:
+  stage: check
+  only:
+    refs:
+      - merge_requests
+    changes:
+      - package/*/*.mk
+  script:
+    - export files=$(git diff-tree --no-commit-id --name-only -r $CI_COMMIT_SHA)
+    - export package_name=$(basename $files | cut -d"." -f1)
+    - export package_bl=$(echo $package_name | tr '[:lower:]' '[:upper:]' | tr '-' '_')
+    - cp generated-config.tpl generated-config.yml
+    - |-
+      for ARCH in x86_64 rpi4_64 odroidgo2 odroidxu4 rpi3 rpizero2legacy rpizero2 rg353x rpi5_64
+      do
+        if grep -q "$package_bl" configs/recalbox-${ARCH}_defconfig;then
+          echo "        - '$ARCH'" >> generated-config.yml
+        fi
+      done
+  artifacts:
+    paths:
+      - generated-config.yml
+
+trigger_build:
+  stage: test
+  trigger:
+    include:
+      - artifact: generated-config.yml
+        job: check_package
+    strategy: depend
+  rules:
+    - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "merge_request_event"
+      changes:
+        - package/*/*.mk
+
+include:
+    - project: 'renovate-bot/renovate-runner'
+      file: '/templates/renovate.gitlab-ci.yml'
+
+.renovate-config:
+  extends: .renovate
+  image: 
+    name: ghcr.io/renovatebot/renovate:39.75.0@sha256:34dcdc05e3505e16c9008708dc24d5da30ee130cc6fe30577a37c7cb4316c7fa
+    docker:
+      user: root
+
+renovate-runner:
+  extends: .renovate-config
+  rules:
+    - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE =~ "/^(schedule)$/" && $WHICH_SCHEDULE == "renovate"
+      when: always
+    - when: never
+  variables:
+    RENOVATE_EXTRA_FLAGS: 'beudbeud/recalbox'
+  before_script:
+    - apt update && apt install npm -y
+    # install chan to allow changelog updates
+    - npm install @geut/chan
+    # make chan available in path
+    - export PATH="$PATH:$(pwd)/node_modules/.bin"
+    # make our update_changelog script available in path
+    - export PATH="$PATH:$(pwd)"
 
 .build_template: &build_definition
   stage: build
diff --git a/config.js b/config.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..c0f0bc5b17d635ccd50ad5a61c1a222ffdff60d3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config.js
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+module.exports = {
+  endpoint: 'https://gitlab.com/api/v4',
+  hostRules: [],
+  platform: 'gitlab',
+  username: 'renovate-bot',
+  gitAuthor: 'Renovate Bot <renovate@recalbox.com>',
+  autodiscover: false,
+  allowPostUpgradeCommandTemplating: true,
+  allowedPostUpgradeCommands: ['^update_changelog'],
+};
diff --git a/generated-config.tpl b/generated-config.tpl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..fc4cf6bb7d343f94612c1a5de0c4d1b359098a3e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/generated-config.tpl
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+build_package:
+  image: docker:latest
+  variables:
+    RUNNER_SCRIPT_TIMEOUT: 3h
+  before_script:
+    - apk update && apk add git bash
+    - source scripts/release/functions.sh
+  script:
+    - set -euo pipefail
+    - export files=$(git diff-tree --no-commit-id --name-only -r $CI_COMMIT_SHA)
+    - export package_name=$(basename $files | cut -d"." -f1)
+    - export RECALBOX_VERSION="${CI_COMMIT_TAG:-$(date '+%Y/%m/%d') ${CI_COMMIT_REF_SLUG} (${CI_PIPELINE_ID})}"
+    - WORKDIR="$(pwd)" CCACHE="true" OUTPUTDIR="$(pwd)/output"
+    - mkdir -p ${OUTPUTDIR}
+    - docker build -t "recalbox-${ARCH}" .
+    - |-
+        docker run --rm --tmpfs /tmp:exec \
+    --security-opt seccomp=unconfined \
+    -v "${WORKDIR}:/work" \
+    -v "${OUTPUTDIR}:/work/output" \
+    -v "/recalbox-builds/dl:/share/dl" \
+    -v "/recalbox-builds/ccaches/ccache-${ARCH}:/share/ccache" \
+    -e "ARCH=${ARCH}" \
+    -e "RECALBOX_VERSION=${RECALBOX_VERSION}" \
+    -e "RECALBOX_CCACHE_ENABLED=${CCACHE}" \
+    -e "PACKAGE=${package_name}" \
+    "recalbox-${ARCH}" 2>&1 | tee build.log | grep '>>>' || tac build.log | grep '>>>' -m 1 -B 9999 | tac
+    - echo $?
+  tags:
+    - build
+  rules:
+    - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "parent_pipeline"
+  parallel:
+    matrix:
+      - ARCH:
diff --git a/package/libretro-arduous/libretro-arduous.mk b/package/libretro-arduous/libretro-arduous.mk
index 232cc8332413f9d15145d0a1ecc3afd3325df612..f861b2e9c9134c8849e0c6821bff352655de8a4d 100644
--- a/package/libretro-arduous/libretro-arduous.mk
+++ b/package/libretro-arduous/libretro-arduous.mk
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 ################################################################################
 
 # Commit version of 2022/05/24
-LIBRETRO_ARDUOUS_VERSION = aed50506962df6f965748e888b3fe7027ddb410d
+LIBRETRO_ARDUOUS_VERSION = aed50506962df6f965748e888b3fe7027ddb410d #main
 LIBRETRO_ARDUOUS_SITE = https://github.com/libretro/arduous.git
 LIBRETRO_ARDUOUS_SITE_METHOD = git
 LIBRETRO_ARDUOUS_GIT_SUBMODULES = YES
diff --git a/package/libretro-dolphin/libretro-dolphin.mk b/package/libretro-dolphin/libretro-dolphin.mk
index 9f0150350e54aaf0a252fff96f777a3bf20d7048..230faa5bb87fe49d5c61ce0c1ec8149d7e04d8fd 100644
--- a/package/libretro-dolphin/libretro-dolphin.mk
+++ b/package/libretro-dolphin/libretro-dolphin.mk
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 #
 ################################################################################
 
-LIBRETRO_DOLPHIN_VERSION = 2f4b0f7902257d40a054f60b2c670d6e314f2a04
+LIBRETRO_DOLPHIN_VERSION = 89a4df725d4eb24537728f7d655cddb1add25c18
 LIBRETRO_DOLPHIN_SITE = https://github.com/libretro/dolphin
 LIBRETRO_DOLPHIN_SITE_METHOD=git
 LIBRETRO_DOLPHIN_GIT_SUBMODULES=YES
diff --git a/package/libretro-gearcoleco/libretro-gearcoleco.mk b/package/libretro-gearcoleco/libretro-gearcoleco.mk
index 3320a74ddce759f89fca7ba40f80e0986f3209cb..e86e8670e360a5e96dcbc3b1f70142694837c359 100644
--- a/package/libretro-gearcoleco/libretro-gearcoleco.mk
+++ b/package/libretro-gearcoleco/libretro-gearcoleco.mk
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 ################################################################################
 
 # Commit of 2023/08/23
-LIBRETRO_GEARCOLECO_VERSION = cc7c19c776a12d149c2c935e2198ddad15f22f54
+LIBRETRO_GEARCOLECO_VERSION = cc7c19c776a12d149c2c935e2198ddad15f22f54 #main
 LIBRETRO_GEARCOLECO_SITE = $(call gitlab,recalbox,packages/libretro/Gearcoleco,$(LIBRETRO_GEARCOLECO_VERSION))
 LIBRETRO_GEARCOLECO_LICENSE = GPL-3.0
 LIBRETRO_GEARCOLECO_LICENSE_FILES = LICENSE
diff --git a/package/libretro-genesisplusgxwide/libretro-genesisplusgxwide.mk b/package/libretro-genesisplusgxwide/libretro-genesisplusgxwide.mk
index 6ad0094cd0756fe1460619534f416644c8426532..2996b66f441d687cf16f7f2dbe075dc52fd7d1ea 100644
--- a/package/libretro-genesisplusgxwide/libretro-genesisplusgxwide.mk
+++ b/package/libretro-genesisplusgxwide/libretro-genesisplusgxwide.mk
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 ################################################################################
 
 # Commit of 2023/09/16
-LIBRETRO_GENESISPLUSGXWIDE_VERSION = f73cf1b0769127cee137a559f1c132b24c147923
+LIBRETRO_GENESISPLUSGXWIDE_VERSION = f73cf1b0769127cee137a559f1c132b24c147923 #main
 LIBRETRO_GENESISPLUSGXWIDE_SITE = $(call github,libretro,Genesis-Plus-GX-Wide,$(LIBRETRO_GENESISPLUSGXWIDE_VERSION))
 LIBRETRO_GENESISPLUSGXWIDE_LICENSE = COPYRIGHT
 LIBRETRO_GENESISPLUSGXWIDE_LICENSE_FILES = LICENSE.txt
diff --git a/package/libretro-swanstation/libretro-swanstation.mk b/package/libretro-swanstation/libretro-swanstation.mk
index 94c3fc7a7a8c836ac6cb7c046060bfd7e192acd7..4cf138e10d10db84f003298200f0085dff1d825b 100644
--- a/package/libretro-swanstation/libretro-swanstation.mk
+++ b/package/libretro-swanstation/libretro-swanstation.mk
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 ################################################################################
 
 # Commit of 2023/10/01
-LIBRETRO_SWANSTATION_VERSION = afb6bc73c7ce522190b19ec3e3c8a14eb264bdeb
+LIBRETRO_SWANSTATION_VERSION = afb6bc73c7ce522190b19ec3e3c8a14eb264bdeb #main
 LIBRETRO_SWANSTATION_SITE = $(call github,libretro,swanstation,$(LIBRETRO_SWANSTATION_VERSION))
 LIBRETRO_SWANSTATION_LICENSE = GPL-3.0
 LIBRETRO_SWANSTATION_LICENSE_FILES = LICENSE
diff --git a/renovate.json b/renovate.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..c9f95cceab50d68cc00b572a1a8cbcde26dc69a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/renovate.json
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+{
+  "$schema": "https://docs.renovatebot.com/renovate-schema.json",
+  "extends": [
+    ":dependencyDashboard",
+    ":rebaseStalePrs",
+    ":disableRateLimiting"
+  ],
+  "labels": ["renovate"],
+  "lockFileMaintenance": {"enabled": false},
+  "separateMajorMinor": false,
+  "recreateWhen": "always",
+  "enabledManagers": ["custom.regex"],
+  "ignorePaths": [
+    "**custom/**",
+    "**/buildroot/**",
+    "**/libretro-retrodream/**"],
+  "stopUpdatingLabel": "Testing::Beta",
+  "prBodyNotes": ["{{#if newDigest}}> 🗒**Changelog**<br/> [Compare revision {{{currentDigest}}} to {{{newDigest}}}]({{{packageName}}}/compare/{{{currentDigest}}}...{{{newDigest}}}){{/if}}"],
+  "prCreation": "approval",
+  "packageRules": [
+    {
+      "matchPackagePatterns": ["*"],
+      "enabled": false
+    },
+    {
+      "matchPackagePatterns": ["/libretro/"],
+      "enabled": true,
+      "labels": ["renovate", "Components::Emulators"],
+      "commitMessagePrefix": "chore:",
+      "commitMessageAction": "bump",
+      "commitMessageLowerCase": "auto",
+      "postUpgradeTasks": {
+        "commands": [
+           "update_changelog \"Bump {{{depName}}}\""
+        ],
+        "fileFilters": ["RELEASE-NOTES.md"]
+      }
+    },
+    {
+      "matchPackagePatterns": ["/recalbox/"],
+      "enabled": true,
+      "labels": ["renovate", "Components::System"],
+      "commitMessagePrefix": "chore:",
+      "commitMessageAction": "bump",
+      "commitMessageLowerCase": "auto",
+      "postUpgradeTasks": {
+        "commands": [
+           "update_changelog \"Bump {{{depName}}}\""
+        ],
+        "fileFilters": ["RELEASE-NOTES.md"]
+      }
+    }
+  ],
+  "customManagers": [
+    {
+      "customType": "regex",
+      "fileMatch": ["\\.mk$"],
+      "matchStringsStrategy": "combination",
+      "matchStrings": [
+        ".*_VERSION = (?<currentValue>(?:v)?[\\w+\\.\\-]*)\\n",
+        ".*_VERSION = (?<currentDigest>[a-f0-9]{40}) #(?<nameBranch>.*)\\n",
+        ".*_VERSION = (?<currentDigest>[a-f0-9]{40})\\n",
+        ".*_SITE = (?:https?:\\/\\/)?(?:.*call )?(?<siteName>[\\w-]*)(?:\\.com)?.(?<orgName>[\\w_-]*).(?<depName>[\\w_\\/-]*)"
+      ],
+      "currentValueTemplate": "{{#if currentDigest }}{{#if nameBranch }}{{{nameBranch}}}{{else}}master{{/if}}{{else}}{{{currentValue}}}{{/if}}",
+      "depNameTemplate": "{{{lowercase depName}}}",
+      "packageNameTemplate": "https://{{{siteName}}}.com/{{{orgName}}}/{{{depName}}}",
+      "datasourceTemplate": "{{#if currentDigest }}git-refs{{else}}git-tags{{/if}}"
+    }
+  ]
+}
diff --git a/update_changelog b/update_changelog
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..4cbef936ab287ad2a82988ba00ac8d4395829a6d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/update_changelog
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+# only run if changelog exists and does not already contain this specific version update
+if test -f "RELEASE-NOTES.md" && ! grep -q "$@" "RELEASE-NOTES.md"; then
+    chan changed -g 'Dependency Updates' "$@"
+fi